Parachute toy



March 9, 1965 R. M. ARLAND 3,172,231

PARACHUTE TOY Filed Nov. 5, 1962 m I l JHIHIIII '5 m INVENTOR Raymond M. Air/and mam United States Patent 3,172,231 PARACHUTE TOY Raymond M. Arland, 1865 Celestia Drive, Walla Walfa, Wash. Filed Nov. 5, 1362, Ser. No. 235,290 Claims. (Cl. 46-86) This invention relates to a parachute toy and has for an object to provide an improved parachute toy consisting particularly of an improved toy parachute and a combination of the toy parachute and a projector therefor for projecting the toy parachute into the air so that it may drop and float down slowly.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved toy parachute having an improved flat projectile or parachute weight to which the parachute is attached and over a part of which it is so folded that it may be projected high into the air and then may automatically open up and float and descend slowly to the ground.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an improved combination parachute toy consisting of a toy parachute of plastic sheet material and an attached flat projectile to which the parachute is attached and folded over a part thereof and a projector acting in combination with the projectile to project the projectile and attached parachute swiftly high up into the air to float down slowly.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an improved projectile for the toy parachute wherein the projectile has a large head for receiving a projector elastic band attached therein, a tapered shaft of less Width than the head extending rearwardly therefrom and an enlarged tail to which the shroud lines of the plastic canopy of the toy parachute are attached and a shoulder on the tail over which the parachute canopy is folded to be held thereon by air or wind pressure as the projectile is rising into the air and to automatically disengage and support the projectile as it floats slowly downward.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a parachute canopy that may be substantially transparent and thus somewhat invisible so that when the toy is descending slowly, the visible load appears to defy gravity by moving slowly down.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the parachute toy of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the projectile or parachute load.

FIG. 3 is a top edge elevational view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of the connection between the elastic tube and the handle of the projector.

There is shown at 10 the parachute toy of this invention consisting basically of a toy parachute 12 preferably of plastic sheet material, a combination parachute projectile and load 14 and a projector 16 for shooting the projectile 14 and attached parachute 12 high into the air.

The toy parachute 12 consists of a square of plastic material such as transparent cellophane or the like forming a parachute canopy 18 having its four corners attached to shroud lines 26 by means of which the parachute 12 is attached approximately at the midpoint 22 of the rear end of the tail 24 of the projectile or parachute load 14. The projectile or parachute load 14 is fiat and includes not only the tail 24 but integrally extending therefrom by a connection 26 is a shaft 28 from the forward end of which integrally extends a head 30. The head 30 is somewhat rectangular in out- 3,172,231 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 line but has all its corners rounded as at 32 and it is substantially approximately three times the width of the shaft 28, it being noted that the tail 24, connection 26, shaft 28 and head 30 all extend in a flat common plane. The head 30 extends longitudinally forward of the shaft 28 and the integral connection 34 between the head 30 and the shaft 28 is symmetrically arranged at the rear end of the head 30 at approximately the middle third thereof. One longitudinal edge 36 of the head 30 is provided with a notch 38 recessed therein of a size to cooperate with and receive an elastic tube or band 4%) which is fastened at 42 to a handle 44, the elastic band or tube 40, fastening. 42 and handle 44 constituting the projector 16.

The shaft 28 may taper from its head 30 to its tail 24 in breadth as shown, the width being substantially uniform from the head connection 34 to the tail connection .26. The tail connection 26, it will be noted, extends angularly from adjacent one side of the forward end 46 of the projectile tail 24, the tail 24 being also substantially rectangular with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of the shaft 28 and the head 30. As result of this offset connection, a shoulder is provided at the end 46 which is recessed somewhat at 48 behind the rear end of the shaft 28 and it is over this shoulder end 46 that the parachute canopy 18 is folded, as illustrated at 50 in FIG. 1.

It will be noted that as the result of the offset connection between the shaft 28 and the tailpiece 24, that one longitudinal edge 52 of the tailpiece 24 is in substantial alignment with the notched edge 36 of the head, but that the other longitudinal edge 54, if projected, extends somewhat outside the longitudinal edge 56 of the head 30 opposite the notch edge 36, the width of the tail 24 being four times the width of the shaft 23 while the width of the head 34) is approximately three times the width of the shaft.

' As a result of these approximate proportions, the shoulder end 46 is of sufficient width to have the parachute canopy 18 folded thereover and remain in place under wind pressure as the projectile 14 is rising in its trajectory after having been projected upwardly by being pulled by the elastic band or tube 40, the handle 44 being held in one hand and the parachute canopy 1S folded over the shoulder 46 at St and the tail 24 being simultaneously held in the other hand. As thus projected, the toy parachute will rise high into the air and then, at the top of the trajectory, the wind pressure on the folded parachute at 50 becomes nonexistent and the parachute floats away from the shoulder 46, opens up and suspends the head 30 like a pendulum as it floats slowly downward, thus giving pleasure and joy to the observer, particularly to the child operator who will usually make use of this toy. When the parachute canopy is transparent and thus invisible, the projectile 14 appears to defy gravity in descending slowly at a uniform rate.

It should be noted carefully how the parachute canopy 18, when made of plastic, is to be folded. This is important for top performance of this very interesting toy 10.

When the toy It is first operated, the plastic canopy 18 will not open as well as it will after being used for a while because of the stiffness of the new plastic canopy 18. One should be sure to press the air out. the plastic canopy 18, take hold of the canopy 18 with the finger tips, let the projectile 14 hang down. Then fold the parts of the canopy 18 together that have no strings or shroud lines attached thereto making it a wedge shape. That is, the square canopy is first folded in half, making a rectangle with the canopy-tied corners at the bottom. Then fold it again into quarters with the tied corners contacting each other. Then fold it again about a diagonal line between the tied corners and the opposite corner or reenter point of the square into a triangular shape. Then fold the triangle three times and i press the air out of the chute.

To launch the parachute, hold the folded canopy 18,

To fold let the projectile 14 hang down, press one finger down through the shroud lines 20 so as to take out any twisted lines then fold the canopy 18 over the shoulder 46 as at 50. Hold the canopy in place with thumb and forefinger, making sure that the fingers are clear of the shroud lines 20. When releasing the projectile, do not let the tail 24 and the folded canopy 5i) slide through the fingers as this is likely to pull the folded canopy 50 off the shoulder 24. Intsead release it by opening the fingers. This is one of the secrets in proper operation of 'this parachute toy. Do not try to launch it too hard, a relaxed method will get better results. Do not throw the launcher handle 44, let the elastic band 40 do the work.

Inasmuch as cellophane plastic is affected by cold, the canopy will operate better when it is warm.

This toy presents a challenge as it takes a little time to learn its operation. The more one practices, the

higher and better the projectile will perform. Operate this toy in a relaxed manner and with patience, then the joy of this toy will pay well. It is a lot of fun to see who can put the projectile highest into the sky.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A parachute toy comprising a shaft rectangular in cross section and substantially uniform in width, a somewhat rectangular head integrally extending forwardly from the forward end thereof, and a tail integrally extending rearwardly from the rear end thereof, said head having a breadth at least equal to the maximum breadth of said shaft and a width at least three times the width of said shaft, said shaft merging smoothly with said head symmetrically between the opposite longitudinal edges of said head, said head having a length substantially greater than its width, said head having a rearwardly directed projector elastic band receiving notch extending through one longitudinal side thereof approximately midway between its forwardly end and the shaft jointed end, said tail being substantially rectangular in outline with its plane in the plane of said shaft and head,

said tail having one longitudinal edge substantially aligned with the notched longitudinal edge of said head, the width of said tail being greater than the width of said shaft, said shaft being connected to the forward end of said tail adjacent said longitudinal edge aligned with said notched longitudinal edge of said head by an angular extension of said shaft thereby providing a substantial shoulder at the forward end of said tail partially recessed behind said shaft, and a toy parachute comprising a parachute canopy and shroud lines secured to said tail at approximately the midpoint of its rear end, said parachute canopy being adapted to be folded over said tailshoulder to be retained by wind pressure thereon while being projected, and to unfold to support said tail, shaft and head while dropping, said head acting as a load while dropping.

2. A parachute toy comprising a shaft, a head extending integrally from the forward end of said shaft, and a tail integrally extending from the rear end of said shaft,

said head having a breadth at least equal to the maximum breadth of said shaft and a width greater than the width of said shaft, said shaft merging smoothly with said head symmetrically between opposite longitudinal side edges of said head, said head having a length greater than its width, said head having a rearwardly directed projector band receiving notch extending thereinthrough one longitudinal side edge thereof, said tail having its plane in the plane of said head and shaft, the width of said tail being greater than the width of said shaft, said tail being in offset relation to said shaft in the direction opposite to that which the notched side of said head opens to form a shoulder at the offset portion of said tail, and a.

folded toy parachute comprising a parachute canopy and shroud lines secured to the rear end of said tail, said shoulder being at least as wide as said folded parachute canopy so that said parachute canopy is retained thereon by wind pressure while being projected toward the top of the trajectory of said toy, whereby said parachute canopy may unfold from said shoulder at approximately the top of the trajectory of said toy and then said parachute supports said tail, shaft and head while dropping, said head acting as a load while dropping.

3. The parachute toy defined in claim 2, said shoulder on said tail extending into a recess in the adjacent side edge of said shaft.

4-. The parachute toy defined in claim 2, said shaft being substantially rectangular in cross section and uniform in width.

'5. A device comprising the parachute toy defined in claim 2, in combinationwith a parachute projector com.- prising a projector elastic band in the form of a tube having a diameter to fit into said notch, and a projector handle to which said band is secured.

6. The parachute toy of claim 2, said head, said shaft and said tail being of gradually decreasing breadth from said head toward said tail.

7. The parachute toy of claim 2, said parachute canopy being a square of plastic sheet material.

8. The parachute toy of claim 7, said sheet material being transparent and substantially invisible during descent.

9. A device comprising the parachute toy defined in claim 2, in combination with a parachute projector comprising aprojector elastic band in the form of a tube having a diameter to fit into said notch, and a projector handle to which said band is secured.

10. The parachute toy of claim 2, said parachute.

canopy being a square of tranparent plastic material, said shroud lines connecting from each corner of said square to said tail.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

2. A PARACHUTE TOY COMPRISING A SHAFT, A HEAD EXTENDING INTEGRALLY FROM THE FORWARD END OF SAID SHAFT, AND A TAIL INTEGRALLY EXTENDING FROM THE REAR END OF SAID SHAFT, SAID HEAD HAVING A BREADTH AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE MAXIMUM BREADTH OF SAID SHAFT AND A WIDTH GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT MERGING SMOOTHLY WITH SAID HEAD SYMMETRICALLY BETWEEN OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL SIDE EDGES OF SAID HEAD, SAID HEAD HAVING A LENGTH GREATER THAN ITS WIDTH, SAID HEAD HAVING A REARWARDLY DIRECTED PROJECTOR BAND RECEIVING NOTCH EXTENDING THEREIN THROUGH ONE LONGITUDINAL SIDE EDGE THEREOF, SAID TAIL HAVING ITS PLANE IN THE PLANE OF SAID HEAD AND SHAFT, THE WIDTH OF SAID TAIL BEING GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID SHAFT, SAID TAIL BEING IN OFFSET RELATION TO SAID SHAFT IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THAT WHICH THE NOTCHED SIDE OF SAID HEAD OPENS TO FORM A SHOULDER AT THE OFFSET PORTION OF SAID TAIL, AND A FOLDED TOY PARACHUTE COMPRISING A PARACHUTE CANOPY AND SHROUD LINES SECURED TO THE REAR END OF SAID TAIL, SAID SHOULDER BEING AT LEAST AS WIDE AS SAID FOLDED PARACHUTE CANOPY SO THAT SAID PARACHUTE CANOPY IS RETAINED THEREON BY WIND PRESSURE WHILE BEING PROJECTED TOWARD THE TOP OF THE TRAJECTORY OF SAID TOY, WHEREBY SAID PARACHUTE CANOPY MAY UNFOLD FROM SAID SHOULDER AT APPROXIMATELY THE TOP OF THE TRAJECTORY OF SAID TOY AND THEN SAID PARACHUTE SUPPORTS SAID TAIL, SHAFT AND HEAD WHILE DROPPING, SAID HEAD ACTING AS A LOAD WHILE DROPPING. 